This was a blast to make. We asked listeners of Le Club & Sommeljj de Podcast to submit their Christmas menus. The result? Over 80 entries! We've compiled them in our podcast and in this article. The podcast was already making our mouths water, but after reading this article, we were ravenously hungry again.

Listen to our podcast episode about wine and food pairings and the following pairings.


Amuses and starters

Not in alphabetical order, but by podcast order. Makes sense, right? If you want to make things easier, you can also press CTRL+F and search the list.

Baguette with spreads *until the gourmet dining begins*

Our advice is to just get drunk here. Just kidding. We're not thinking too decadent, so try the Méthode Cap Classique or a nice crémant.

Salad of fried Brussels sprouts, oyster mushroom, tarragon, sweet and sour pear, hazelnut

According to JJ, you need something that can handle the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts. Vino de Pasto (our favorite from Jerez) or an orange wine works well.

Eggplant with Miso

Eggplant is a vegetable that can absorb many flavors. Miso has a lot of umami. So, it deserves something with a lot of flavor.

This was a real treat to make. Thanks to all of you listeners for sending in all your wine pairing ideas, wines, tips, and much more. It ended up being a huge list, which we've compiled into a blog post with handy links, tips, and tricks for a more relaxed review. And believe us, after reading this article, you'll definitely be ravenously hungry!

Shrimp cocktail with grapefruit

The well-known classic.

Scallop

For the scallop with truffle, look for a rich, creamy white wine with a touch of oak. Scallop with cauliflower cream and hazelnuts pairs best with a white Bordeaux. There's also a dish with scallops, beetroot, and a green herb sauce that almost makes us short-circuit. Salty, sweet, earthy, fresh, and spicy. Success!

King Oyster Mushroom Stem Scallops, Celeriac Cream, Celery and Saffron

A delicious vegan dish. If you're feeling a bit lost with a dish, a Southern Rhône blend with Marsanne and Roussanne is the perfect solution. We think it's perfect with these vegan scallops.

Tomato consommée with buratta and various tomato preparations with green herbs

Creamy, acidic, ripe and unripe, fresh. That screams sauvignon blanc. Always works. But at the same time, it's also nice to serve an Italian wine with this Italian appetizer. We'd choose San Gimignano, a wine from the Manhattan of the Middle Ages.

Ceviche

Fresh, so we prefer to contrast this with wines from the Basque Country.

Chicken curry cocktail

Look for it in the fresh corner, think of Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc.

Steak tartare, onion oil, white soy, smoked crème fraîche, caviar, spelt, smoked and pickled egg yolk

You can go three ways: creamy white, rosé or light red.

  • Etna Rosso
  • Full, creamy and rich white, for example Enira Blanc (via Vindict )
  • Costaripa (via Vinites )
  • Poulsard (via Vinites or Platenburg )
  • Santa Cruz de Coya Tinto Pais (via Emerald )

Smoked duck breast

We'd rather start with white, but okay, this also calls for red.

  • South African Cinsault, slightly chilled
  • Genoels-Elderen Brut Rosé from Belgium

Tomato puree with anchovies

There can only be one: fino! We're having a nice La Guita for less than 5 euros from the Gall.

Rendang

Coconut, so coconut wine. Fancy something Spanish?

  • Amontillado
  • Ribera del Duero or Rioja with American wood
  • Chardonnay with American oak
  • Pinot gris with a little residual sweetness from Alsace
  • Apostelhoeve Pinot Barrique from the Netherlands

Cream puffs with Gruyère

We're going for 'what grows together, goes together', so a Swiss wine: Chasselas, Chardonnay or Fendant.

Creamy bisque of langoustines, saffron, vanilla and coffee, a touch of allspice

We're thinking of a Savennières here. Or perhaps a grand Burgundy.

Kale millefeuille with coriander dip

Chic, chic, chic, but again with kale. Something aromatic should be added: muscat, torrontés or gewurztraminer.

Pumpkin soup with ginger

Liquid-on-liquid pairing is always a tricky combination. That's why we're not the biggest fans of wine with soup, but if you must, consider Gewürztraminer, a dry Muscat, or Torrontés.

Fennel risotto

A bit of aniseed, so we're looking for that in the wine too.

  • Roero Arneis
  • Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

Tomato tartare

A bit of aniseed, so we're looking for that in the wine too.

Cabbage from the barbecue

Looking for a wine with a little more flavor, because it's from the BBQ? New World vibes are on the menu, but it's also fun to do something Dutch. Easy-going red.

Onion tarte tatin

We're going for Chateau d'Yquem. Think big.

Goat cheese pistachio lollipop with Hokkaido pumpkin

Okay, that's a bit crazy, but we suddenly think of a white Cassis from Provence, for example. Sainte Magdeleine . Also definitely goes well with Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.

Cold-smoked salmon tartare, crème fraîche, atsina cress, capers and lemon-olive oil

Home sweet home (for Nadien, that is), we're going for a Zeeland white. A wine from Kleine Schorre, an Auxerrois or a Blanc, would be perfect.

Main course

Here you can really let loose, go all out, and buy locally at your favorite restaurant and wine shop. Support small businesses.

Corn chicken with corn cream & polenta

Light reds will brighten your day, think Gamay. But a full, rich white wine is also a good choice, thanks to its fresh yellow fruit. Pay particular attention to the accompanying sauce and consider this in your choice of food. For white wines, consider a nice Marsanne/Rousanne blend or a white Hermitage. Don't underestimate white wines from the Rhône.

Andouilette

A sausage with innards. Well, thank you very much. I'll take the Rhône. Anyway, this is what our friend from restaurant Terroir sent in, who prefers Beaujolais drinks. So good luck! 😉

Gourmet

Drink what you like.

Grilled ham with honey mustard sauce

Here we're going for a Riesling Kabinett or an Alsace Riesling. Not too demanding. Otherwise, light red wines with little tannin.

Indonesian rice table

Beetroot Bourguignon, olive puree and nut crunch and lamb's lettuce with vinaigrette

  • A thick, older Bordeaux. Don't underestimate a beautiful Bordeaux.
  • Also nice Zinfandel from Seghesio (via QV Select )
  • It's best not to call us; Primitivo for Ripasso or Amarone you can of course call us

Pasta Anchovies with tomato

  • Assyrtiko from Gaia Wild Ferment (via Platenburg or Vindict )
  • Assyrtiko Monograph a bit more budget but just as tasty (via Platenburg or Vindict )
  • Also think of Etna Bianco, Verdelho Biscoitos DOC (via Vinites ) or Patrick Piuze Chablis

Cod with Dutch shrimp and beurre blanc

Drink locally with Dutch wines. Think of the Souvignier Gris from Wijngoed Wolf (via BOB Wine) or the Betuwe wine estate LingeWit Cuvee Barrique .

Italian farmer's casserole

  • Tuscany chic, think of a super Tuscan, or Chianti, Brunello or a more budget-friendly Rosso di Montalcino
  • Taurasi, also known as Aglianico, is one of the last-ripening grapes in Italy and is also known as the Barolo of the south.

Oven-baked rump with homemade mayonnaise

We're thinking about Bordeaux again. But we believe you should drink something you enjoy. If you drink something you already enjoy without food, it will definitely complement your main course. JJ wants to go all out and is thinking of Château Margaux, which wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Beef bourguignon

With the request: no red Rhône! Classic Bordeaux then? Or perhaps something even more exciting? Then we'll head to Bulgaria for Domaine Enira. (via Platenburg or Vindict ) . Pinotage by Rijks Private Tulbagh (via QV Select ) Or perhaps Chateau Musar from Lebanon. In short, you can go in any direction with this, but full-bodied, powerful, and spicy are definitely a plus.

Baked salmon

Ok, here JJ was very strict: we're drinking Viognier, because he finds it as boring as the salmon itself.

Blanquette de veau

North Sea sole with a creamy porcini sauce

This sounds delicious, and it's a main course, so we're craving a glass of red. It's definitely a good pairing with fish, as long as it's not too heavy. White wines aged in oak or on long lees are also definitely a good option.

  • Light Nebbiolo or Sangiovese, for example the Nebiolo from Ar.Pepe from Valtellina (via Herman Wines)
  • Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca (via The Golden Ton )

Leek, celery and blue cheese strudel

Something with a strong flavor intensity would be a good match. We're thinking of a mature Riesling or a Gruner Veltliner Smaragd.

Dutch fallow deer roulade, vadouvan cream, Louise sauce, winter vegetables and winter truffle from Piedmont

We were unanimous on this one. This dish screams for Barolo. So think carefully about what you do with your last Barolo. In the price-performance ratio category, you could also opt for a Long Nebbiolo, generally a bit fresher in style but with Nebbiolo power.

The cheese board

  • Also don't forget our podcast I Only Pray for Cheese to listen where we discuss everything about how to build a cheese board and what to serve with it
  • And last year's discovery was definitely Ratafia, a by-product from the Champagne region. Be sure to check out Henri Giraud's (via Vinetiq ) or the extensive range of Jaqueline (via Disdonc )

Poached pears with fig and almond ice cream with an almond crunch

A rielsing Auslese or Spätlese. You can also get one from Austria, for example, from Tschida or Kracher. Prefer an Italian twist? Then Vin Santo is also a hit (especially with that almond crunch!).

Vegan coconut macaroon with passion fruit cream

You can go in any direction here. An orange wine, for example – JJ immediately thinks of the Souvignier Gris from De Wilde Wijngaard. An Ice Wine (or Eiswein) would also be a great choice. Those from Canada are often a bit more affordable than those from our neighbors to the east. Finally, you can't go wrong with Moscato d'Asti. Everyone loves it.

Coffee ice cream with espresso and mocha beans

Yes, this dish calls for sherry. We're torn between a sweet sherry, like a cream sherry. But a (dry) oloroso would also be a good choice. A cross between the two can be found in the Solera Cream from Bodegas Alvaer in Montilla-Morilles. It's worth trying. But Madeira is also a good choice. If so, stop by Wine merchant Peeters .

What about red fruit?

  • Tschida Merlot Spätlase (via Adbibendum )
  • Wirra Wirr Mrs. WIgley Moscato (via The Golden Ton )
  • Domaine Serol – Turbulent Sparkling Rose (via Platenburg or Vindict )
  • Prunello – Sangiovese, Montepulciano & Prunello or Visner de Pergola Casanova – Visciole, Sangiovese, this can really surprise you, because sloe berries and cherries are fermented in these wines. Unique and very tasty, especially not too sweet. Free tip from JJ (via Emerald Wines at Home )

Finally: happy holidays

We wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a fantastic new year. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this pandemic is contained, the booster shot works, and we can enjoy decadent dining out again.

We're so curious about your Christmas dinners. Let us know on Instagram!

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